The present invention relates generally to appliances for cooking and baking; more particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for forming a three-dimensional, shaped cake or pastry.
Cakes having a three-dimensional form or shape are typically baked in specially molded pans in order to confine the semi-liquid materials during the baking process and to shape the baked materials into the desired form. A three-dimensional cake such as a wedding cake is typically formed by baking a number of parts of the cake in separate round or rectangular pans and then stacking the baked materials atop one another to form multiple layers and to construct the desired elevation for the overall cake. Frosting is then applied to the stacked layers in order to give the appearance of a single, frosted three-dimensional form. Wedding cakes and the like may also be frequently supported on a tiered stacking device so that the multiple layers may be separately cut and retrieved from the overall cake construction. To complete the decorative aspects of a cake, some cakes are topped with various plastic images and forms; and of course, multiple colored frostings permit the cake decorator to embellish the exterior surface of the cake with various decorative designs. Although such cakes have a three-dimensional aspect, they are always constructed to rest upon one or more base plates or pans and frosting is not applied to the underside of the cake which rests upon the supporting base plates.
While three-dimensional cakes of the prior art provide a decorative and pleasing appearance, they are frequently difficult to handle when consumed and slicing such cakes into appropriate pieces for consumption represents a challenge in itself.
Accordingly, it is desirable to construct a true three-dimensional cake wherein all surfaces of the cake may be frosted to provide an overall three-dimensional decorative appearance. Further, it is desirable to construct a three-dimensional cake wherein removal of the pieces of the cake for consumption can be simply accomplished and arranged into relatively uniform pieces for serving.